"So, this was part of the President's priority of updating the FBI building, keeping it in DC, and it's been one of the things that's been mentioned that's in this bill and it's a part of one of the President's priorities and it's been a priority for several months," she said during an appearance on CBS News.

Asked again what that provision was doing in the coronavirus bill, McEnany couldn't say, but said it is "not a dealbreaker."

President Donald Trump said later Wednesday that a new FBI building has been in the works "for many years," and he thought it was "crazy" that they would consider moving it to the suburbs of Virginia or Maryland.

"I'm very good at real estate, so I said we'll build a new FBI building, either a renovation of the existing or even better, we'll get a new building. So we have that in the bill, it should stay," Trump told reporters at the White House ahead of his departure for Texas.

Pressed by a reporter on Tuesday over the funding, McConnell responded by saying he hopes that anything not directly related to Covid-19 will be stripped out before a new relief measure is enacted.

The Kentucky Republican was not aware the FBI provision was in the bill but then moments later said the White House "insisted that be included."

A number of Senate Republicans said they opposed the funding and pushed administration officials Tuesday during their private lunch over its inclusion, which members argued wasn't even related to coronavirus.

Asked by CNN's Kaitlan Collins about the fact that Republicans don't want it in the bill, Trump said: "Then Republicans should go back to school and learn. We need a new building."

McEnany said the President's priority is unemployment benefits, not the FBI building funding.

"Well, it's in the bill, the President's made clear that this is what he wants to see. It's not a deal breaker, what the priority here is unemployment benefits as the President said and that is the ultimate priority," she said Wednesday, adding that the President "fought hard" for a payroll tax cut and that unemployment benefits being extended are "paramount."

Democrats have long alleged Trump's interest in the FBI building -- which sits across from the Trump Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC -- are financial.

CNN's Clare Foran, Ted Barrett and Lauren Fox contributed to this report.

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McEnany can't say why there's FBI building money in the coronavirus stimulus bill - CNN